Carton erecting machines



April 17, 1956 R. G. HAAS 2,741,957

CARTON ERECTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 8, 1952 3 Sheets-Shet J.

i 7 I Z526 45 a 29 INVENTOR.

Mme-41 Xian/74y April 17, 1956 R. e. HAAS 1,

CARTON ERECTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 8, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

April 17, 1956 R. s. HAAS 2,74

CARTON ERECTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 8, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet :5

K /6 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 2,741,957 CARTON ERECTING MACHINES Richard G. Haas, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to Sutherland Paper Company, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Application December 8, 1952, Serial No. 324,685

11 Claims. (Cl. 93-41 This invention relates to improvements in carton erecting machines.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a machine which will rapidly erect side walls ona carton blank when the side walls each consist of spaced parallel elements so that the completed side walls form true rectangular hollow walls with square corners.

Second, to provide a machine for erecting hollow side walls on a carton blank and simultaneously folding corner flaps from the ends of the side walls into interlocking engagement with end walls on the carton.

Third, to provide an improved blank advancing head and side folding chute for a carton erecting machine that will accommodate carton blanks having opposite side walls folded double and secured to the body of the blank to be erected into hollow double sidewalls without bowing the blanks downwardly and interfering with the locking of corner flaps at the corners of the carton.

Fourth, to provide a blank advancing head for a carton erecting machine with laterally swingable arms and pressure elements that move inwardly of the carton as the blank is advanced through an erecting chute to press downwardly on the upper edges of the newly erected side walls and thus relieve the central portion of the carton and blank from part of the load applied thereto by the body of the blank advancing head.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. 7

The drawings of which there are three sheets illustrate a highly practical form of the carton erecting machine.

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the machine partially broken away to illustrate the location of the ele ments therein.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the upper end of the carton erecting chute with a carton blank illustrated in dotted lines in position to be erected. The view is taken along the plane of the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse cross sectional view through the carton erecting chute and blank advancing head taken along the plane of the line 33 in Fig. 2. The blank advancing head is illustrated in full lines in partially retracted position while the dotted lines indicate progressively advancing positions of the head and blank.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross sectional view through the carton erecting chute taken along the plane of the line 4-4 in Fig. 3. 1

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view through the side erecting arm and a partially erected carton blank.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view through the side erecting arm and a carton blank in the erected position of the blank.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of one corner of theerected carton and illustrating the construction of the corner flap lock of the carton.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the carton as erected by the present machine.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the carton blank adapted to be erected in the machine.

The general arrangement of the carton erecting machine is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein a suitable body 1 contains a driving motor 2 and interconnected gear and crank mechanism 3 for vertically reciprocating the connecting rod 4. The connecting rod 4 reciprocates slide rods 5 carried in suitable guide bearings 6 at the opposite ends of an erected chute indicated generally at 7. An inclined hopper 3 and weight biased follower 9 are arranged to advance a stack of carton blanks 10 to a feed mechanism 11 that delivers carton blanks individually to the top of the erecting chute. A blank advancing head 12 is reciprocated by the slide rods 5 to advance each blankthrough the chute 7 and the side and end portions of the blank are erected and locked into side and end walls on the carton in passing through the chute. A

- conveyor 13 receives the erected cartons from the lower ism which adapts the foregoing structure to operate on carton blanks and cartons that have spaced inner and outer side walls on at least two opposite sides of the carton. As is best illustrated in Fig. 9, the carton blank comprises a fiat bottom portion '14 having end forming flaps 15 on opposite ends thereof. The. sides of the bottom portion 14 are integrally connected to side wall forming flaps 16 and the outer edges of the side wall flaps 16 are folded inwardly in top wall flaps 17 and inner side wall portions 18. The inner edges of the inner side wall portions are connected along the scored fold line 19 to flaps 20 that are glued to the bottom panel 14. The end flaps 15 are provided with curved slits 21 that outline defiectable locking flaps 22 and corner flaps 23 are carried on the ends of the outer side wall flaps 16. The corner flaps 23 have locking ears 24 that coact with the locking flaps 22 as will be described. It will be understood that the relative definition of the several flaps is for the purpose of description only and that the double walls could be provided along opposite edges of a blank having any dimension.

Mounted on top of the chute 7 is a platform 25 which in the present instance consists of a rectangular frame channel shaped in cross section. The frame forms a hole or throat 26 into the top of the chute generally and the blank feeding mechanism 11 is operative to deliver the carton blank 10 into upwardly facing flat supported engagement on the top of the platform. Guides 27 (see Figs. 1 and 2) properly orient the blank over the platform. Upright end rails 28 are adjustably carried on crossbars 29 extending through the sides of the throat 26 to form the ends of. the chute. The end rails 28 pro ject slightly above the rectangular frame 29, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, and support the carton blank. The sides of the platform frame 25 support the in wardly and downwardly bowed side rails 30 that extend into and form the sides of the carton erecting chute. At their inner ends the side rails 30 are provided with pivoted stripper fingers 31 biased inwardly of the chute by springs 32. As isbest illustrated in Fig. 3, the side rails 30 are spaced apart further than the width or the cartons to be erected but are close enough together to carnmingly engage the side edges of the blank as the blank is advanced therethrough. The end rails 28 are spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to the length of the erected carton. I The blank advancing head 12 consists of a bracket 33,

31 carried by a cross rod 34 at the upper ends of the slide rods 5. The bracket 33' is bolted to a top plate 35 and the plate 35 is rigidly connected to 21 depending rod 36.

The depending rod 36. is connected to a rectangular box like structure.37,,the lower face ofwhich -is approximately equal in size. to the-bottom-pan'el 14 of the-carton blank within the end walls and inner side walls- 18.= Upstand" ing arms 38 on. the sides of the box portion: 37 form supports for transverse/pivotshafts 39 at ea'ch endof the-head. The shafts 39 carry depending locking arms'dt) thatv support. angle shaped locking fingers tl in the openings 42 formediin theendsoftthei box portion:37-. Follower, rolls. 43 carriediby the arms: 46 travel alongsthe endirails28tofthe chute to press the"arms:40'and fingers 41;.inwardly-of the head afterthe' head has-bee1rdepressed sufficiently to. engage. the follower rolls with the end rails. This rnueh'iof the-formingihead is-not new but is described in some'detailin-order topointoutits coaction with. thenovel structure forerec-tingthedbuble side walls;

The top plate. 35 carries longitudinal extending pivots 44L alongits'sidesandfthe pivotsz support depending side folding; arms 45. The-arms: 45 on each-side are' con nectedxby across piece 46:and springs 47 b'ea'ringbetween the cross pieces and the: side-arm's 38 bias the arms; 45. outwardly. Thef lowe-r endsf: the side foidifig 1 arms.- 45 carry shoes 48 that are of downwardly' and' irk' One of the arrns on eachwardly opening angle shape. side: of the-head carriesr a followerroll: 49 that is 3 engageable withaand travels. alonga cam' rail 50-as the head is depressed.

Adjustable stopsSl on-ithe'upper f ends-* of the arms blankcand the locking ears-41 that projectthrough'the endssoftthebox portionifl 'defiect the locking flaps 22 outwardly from" the end flaps 15. Simultaneouslythe cornerrilapsi23 on. the -side wall flaps -16 of the blankare bent upwardly. Further downward motion 'ofthe'head and blanki brings' the outer edges of the double sidewalls irito:=engagement withthe curved-side rails -30 and'the' donbletside walls are'defiected'partially upwardly in the parallelogram; shape indicated' by thedottedlines' "at" 52 in Fig. 3. theheadandblank the follower rolls 49 on the 'sidei'foldingarrns will have been moved inwardly 'bythecam rails 50 so "that the angle shaped shoes 48assum'e the position showminFig: 5 'in' eontactiiigrela'tion to'the partially Continued downward motion of the head 7 causes the side folding arms '45" and shOes '48 to fold'the' -double side. walls inwardly and 'upwardly'into rectangular cross section as is illustrated-in Fig. 6. This pointed out that the upper flanges of" the shoes 48" engage the top panel portion 17 of the double" sidewall'and assist the inner. box portion 37 in pressing the blank do'wnwardly between the end rails 28' whichnecessarily create some friction on the ends of the .blank particularly whenthe machine is operating rapidly. Upward and inward folding-of the side walls of the carton carries thecornerflaps 23 inwardly into lapped relation alongside of the erected end walls of the carton. The locking fingers 41 being still extended "through the locking. flaps 22" the corner flaps are? guided along the inside of the fingers 41 until the locking cars 24 on the corner'flaps are positioned behind the fingers 41. At this position in the descent of theforming head the follower rollers '43 engage the" upper ends of the end rails 28 and the arms 40 and fingers-41' are forced inwardly of the forming head to draw the'locking At this position'ofthe downwardrnotion of cars 24 inwardly through the openings formed by sthe locking flaps 22. The locking cars 24 snap free of the angle fingers 41 and lock over the edge of the slit 21 to positively lock the corner flaps to the end walls and hold the carton in erected position. The function of the angled folding shoes 48 in holding the double side walls in rectangular or slightly ovnfolded position is important to the erection of the cartons in that it assures that the corner fiaps23 and'their locking'nhses' 24'W'illhe pressed and held inthe proper positionto be operated'upon by the locking fingers" 412 If the finished cartciri' is not desired to be of true rectangular shape and the side walls are desired to have a bevel of angle; the movement of the shoes 48 can be adjusted accordingly. Since the box portion 37 of the blank advancing head cannot extend beyond the inner panel 18 of the double side wall. the angled shaped shoes 48 are necessary to prevent up ward-bowing of the-sidesof the blank and' irregular and uncontrolled deflection of the corner flaps 28;

The erected 'bIa-nk; as'illust'ratcd in'Pigu 8, may include extensions 53 that can later be folded intodouble and wallsbut-this operationisoptional and forms'no'part of the present invent-ion.

l-laving thusdescribdrny invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l; A machineforerecting tray' like cartons with double sidewalls'trom blanks h'avin'g two oppositeside portions folded-'duble'withtheinturried flaps securedalong their inner edges to the' bottom portion of the" blank and scored to 'form collapsedparallelograms; said machine comprising, apla'tfo'rm havinga'hole therein, means for delivering said blanks on'eat' a time to said platform in upwardly" facing posi'ti'on over said hole'y-a re'ciprocable head-having 'a-rectangularface adaptedto' press the bot tom po'rtion of each blank through said hole, chute forming rails depending-below said plate and positioned to'engage and fold the opposite" endporti'ons of'said blanks and 'cor'ner flaps-ontheends of'said sid'e portions upwardly as the blank'isadvanced 'between therails, other chute forming rails-depending below said -plate and conv'erginginwardly of the chute bel ow the plate'to engage said doubledside '-port ions and rename same upwardly. arms pivoted on said-headabove and to'the sidcs'oi said face, said arms having downwardly and inwardly opening angle elements on their swinging ends disposed above saidface, means -biasing said-arms and angle elements outwardly from said head, cam rails extending-along the sides of said chut'e-above and b'elow said'plate'and having- 'downwardly and inwardly convergingdnrier edges, cam followers carried by said arms and engageable with said earn 'rails to press the side s of said angle "elements inwardly in -'folding-coritact'-with said side portions said cam rails continuing downwardly and inwardly'of said chute" tocause said arms toerect'" said side portions into' double walls ar'idbring the inWaidlyfibriding flanges of said angle elements into 'overlapping"relation' to" the top panel of the" doublewalls spring bia'sed stripper fingers on the 'lo'wer'ends oi 'saidotlier chute forming rails, other arms'pivoted'onsaid headand'having hooked fingers on their swinging"ends';' means directing said other arms *an'dfingers "inbutWardly swinging motion to deflect lockflaps in "th'ecrids of said 3 blanleoutwardly as said sid'e po'rtions'and cornenfiaps'are folded upwardly and inwardly whereby the fingers engage locking ears on said corner flaps and' -t'hereafter pull 'said ears inwardly through 1 theend' walls of the car-ton; and'means for reciprocating said head in timed rcl'atio'n'to' said blank feedingrneanst- 2. A- machine-for erecting tray like cartons with double side walls from blanks having two opposite side portions folded double with the inturned flaps secured along their inner edges to the bottom portion of the blank and scored to form collapsed parallelograms, said machine comprising a platform having a hole therein, mean s for delivering said' "blanks mean "tiriidto said platform in upwardly facing position over said hole, a reciprocable head having a rectangular face adapted to press the bottom portion of each blank through said hole, chute forming rails depending below said plate and positioned to engage andfold the opposite end portions of said blanks and corner fiaps'on the ends of said side portions upwardly as the blank is advanced between the rails, other chute forming rails depending below said plate and converging inwardly of the chute below the plate to engage said doubled side portions and fold the same upwardly, arms pivoted on said head above and to the sides of said face, said arms having downwardly and inwardly opening angle elements on their swinging ends disposed above. said face, means biasing said arms and angle elements outwardly from said head, cam rails extending along the sides of said chute above and below said plate and having downwardly and inwardly converging inner edges, cam followers carried by said arms and engageable with said cam rails to press the sides of said angle elements inwardly in folding contact with said side portions, said cam rails continuing downwardly and inwardly of said chute to cause said arms to erect said side portions into double walls and bring the inwardly extending flanges of said angle elements into overlapping relation to the top panel of the double walls, spring'biased stripper "fingers on the lower ends of said other chute forming rails, and means for reciprocatingsaid head in timed relation to said blank feeding means.

3. A machine for erecting tray like cartons with double side walls from blanks having two opposite side portions folded double with the inturned flaps secured along their inner edges to the bottom portion of the blank and scored to form collapsed parallelograms, said machine comprising, a platform having a hole therein, means for delivering said blanks one at a time to said platform in upwardly facing position over said hole, a reciprocable head having a rectangular face adapted to press the bottom portion of each blank through said hole, chute forming means depending below said platform and positioned to engage and fold the opposite end portions of said blanks and corner flaps on the ends of said side portions upwardly as the blank is advanced between the rails, other chute forming means depending below said platform and coverging inwardly of the chute below the platform to engage said doubled side portions and fold the same upwardly, arms pivoted on said head, said arms having downwardlyand inwardly opening angle elements on their swinging ends disposed above the sides of said face, means biasing said arms and angle elements outwardly from said head, cam rails extending along the sides of said chute and having downwardly and inwardly converging inner edges, cam followers on said arms engageable with said cam rails to press the sides of said angle elements inwardly in folding contact with said side portions, said cam rails continuing, downwardly and inwardly of said chute to cause said arms to erect said side portions into double walls and bring the inwardly extending flanges of said angle elements into overlapping contacting relation to the top panels of the double walls, spring biased stripper means at the lower end of said chute engageable with the tops of said double walls, hooked fingers movably carried at the ends of said head, means directing said fingers outwardly to deflect lock flaps in the ends of said blank outwardly as said side portions and corner flaps are folded upwardly and inwardly whereby the fingers engage locking ears on said corner flaps and thereafter pull said ears inwardly through the end walls of the carton, and means for reciprocating said head in timed relation to said blank feeding means to advance blanks and cartons formed therefrom past said stripper means,

4. A machine for erecting tray like cartons with double side walls from, blanks having two opposite side portions folded'double with the inturned flaps secured along their inner edges to the bottom portion of the blank and scored to form collapsed parallelograms, said machine comprising, aplatform having a hole therein, means for delivering said blanks one at a time to said platform in upwardly facing position over said hole, a reciprocable head having a rectangular face adapted to press the bottom portion of each blank through said hole, chute forming means depending below said platform and positioned to engage and fold the opposite end portions of said blanks and corner flaps on the ends of said side portions upwardly at right angles as the blank is advanced between the rails, other chute forming means depending below said platform and converging inwardly of the chute below the platform to engage said doubled side portions and fold the same. upwardly at less than right angles, arms pivoted on said head, said arms having downwardly and inwardly opening angle elements on their swinging ends disposed above the sides of said face, cam rails extending along the sides of said chute and having downwardly and inwardly converging inner edges, cam followers on said arms and engageable with said cam rails to press the sides of said angle elements inwardly in folding contact with said side portions, said cam rails continuing downwardly and inwardly of said chute to cause said arms to erect said side portions into double walls and bring the inwardly extending flanges of said angle elements into overlapping contacting relation to the top panels of the double walls, stripper means at the lower end of said chute engageable with the top of erected cartons, fiap locking means carried by said head and operative to interlock said corner flaps with the end walls of the carton, and means for reciprocating said head in timed relation to said blank feeding means.

5. A machine for erecting tray like cartons with double side walls from blanks having two opposite side portions folded double with the inturned flaps secured along their inner edges to the bottom portion of the blank and scored to form collapsed parallelograms, said machine comprising, a platform having a hole therein, means for delivering said blanks one at a time to said platform in upwardly facing position over said hole, a reciprocable head having a rectangular face adapted to press the bottom portion of each blank through said hole, chute forming rails depending below said platform and positioned to engage and fold the opposite end portions of said blanks and corner flaps on the ends of said side portions upwardly at right angles as the blank is advanced between the rails, other chute forming rails depending below said platform and converging inwardly of the chute below the platform to engage said doubled side portions and fold the same upwardly, arms pivoted on said head, said arms having downwardly and inwardly opening angle elements on their swinging ends disposed above the sides of said face, means biasing said arms and angle elements outwardly from said head, cam rails extending along the sides of said chute, above and below said plate and having downwardly and inwardly converging inner edges, cam followers carried by said arms and engageable with said cam rails to press the sides of said angle elements inwardly in folding contact with said side portions, said cam rails continuing downwardly and inwardly of said chute to cause said arms to erect said side portions into double walls and bring the inwardly extending. flanges of said angle elements into overlapping contacting relation to the top panels of the double walls, spring biased stripper fingers at the lower end of said chute engageable with the tops of said double walls, and means for reciprocating said head in timed relation to said blank feeding means.

6. A machine for erecting tray like cartons with double side walls from blanks having two opposite side portions folded double with the inturned flaps secured along their inner edges to the bottom portion of the blank and scored to form collapsed parallelograms, said machine comprising, a platform having a hole therein, means for delivering said blanks one at a time to said platform in upwardly g, daa n pre the preeminent i h hole, abuts i s' tai df i nd-l sa id'platf rm'a'jidpositidned to engage and'fold te endportions of said blariksand corner flaps 'p ortidri upwardlyat right angle's' I x ed between the rails, other chute foirriin fails depending below.saidplatform and convergd1? or the dilute baow the platform to en age "d p"rtioris and fold the same upwardly "s, arms pivoted on said head, said db? and inwardly opening angle ele ments on their fhg' ends disposed above the sides of said'face; ca rn rails 'nding alongsaid chute and having dbwii ardiy' na'mw -d1y1onverging inner edges, cam followers Carried by said arms and engageable with said railist to pi essthesides'of said angle elements inwardly in foldingcontafct with said side portions, said Cam rail'sieoiitiniiing"ddwriwardly and; inwardly of said chute to causieisiaid arms to de er said side portions into double walls and bring tli'e inwa'rdly extending fian'ges of said angle elements into overlapping contacting relation to the top panels of the double walls, and means fo'r'reciprocatsaid head if! timed relation t0 said blank feeding means; 7 I

7. Aca'rtonei ectifig machine adapted to erect .ca'rton blanks liaving integral wall forming flaps and doubled side wall forming flaps comprising, means forming a chute, the end walls of the'ehute being spaced equally to the length of the carton to be erected and functioning to fold the flaps to the blank upwardly at right angles to center df the blank, the side walls of the chute being spaeed apart further than the width of the carton t6 be erected and acting to engage and partially erect the doubled side wall flaps on the blank, means compris ing a reciprocating head adapted to advance blanks through said chute, downwardly and inwardly facing angle shaped elenients carried by said head and movable trans verselythereof in the area of the partially deflected side wall forming flaps, cam means extendinglongitudinally of said c'hute andc'oaeting with said angle shaped elements upon advancing motion of said head to move said ele merits inwardly into upwardly folding engagement with said sideflaps, the downwardly facing portions of said angle shaped elementsbeing positioned in the plane of the tops o f the sidewalls when the side walls are erected, and means carried by said head and operative to interlock adjacnt po'rtions of the ends of said end flaps and side flaps after the flapshave been erected.

8. A carton erecting machine adapted to erect carton blankslhaving'inte gral end wall forming flaps and doubled side" wall fdrmiiig flaps comprising, means forming a chute, the end walls of the chute being spaced equally to tlieilen g'th: of the: carton to be erected and functioning to fold thele'nd fla'p s of theblank upwardly at right angles tothe centerg of blank, the sidewalls of the chute beingfixed spaced apart further than the width of the cartonfto'be erected andact'ing to engage and partially erecl't the doubled sidewall flaps on the blank, means com prising a reciprocating head adapted to advance blanks throiigli' said chute, downwa1'dly and inwardly facing angle elements carried by said head and movable transversely thereof in the area of the partially deflected side wall forming flaps, and fixed ca m means coasting with said angle shaped eremetitsupon advancing motion of said head'to' move said element's inwardly into upwardly foldl 8 f itia i fiti w it n s: a s e' ddw weirdly facing portions of said angle shaped elementsbeingpositined the plane d'f tlie tops of the side walls when tli'elside walls are erected and'when the bottom of the carton is exigaged bysjardheadl ,9. A carton erecting, machine adapted to erect carton blanks in g; and wan r fining flaps and dsubred side wall forming flaps comprising, means forming'a chute, the end walls of the chnte being spaced equally to the length of the carton to be ei'ectedand functioning to fold'th'e end flaps of tie blank upwardly at right angles to the center of the blank, the side walls of the chute being fixed and spaced apart further than the width of the carton to be erected, and acting to engage and partially erect the doubled side wall flaps on the blank, means comprising a reciprocating head adapted to advance blanks through said chute, downwardly and inwardly facing angle shaped elements carried by said head and movable transversely thereof in, the area of thepartially deflected side wall forming naps, and fixed means coacting with said angle shaped elements upon advancing motion of said head to moye said elements inwardly into upwardly folding engagement with the outer sides of said side flaps, the downwardly fa'cing portions of said angle shaped elements being positioned in the plane of the tops of the side walls when the side walls are erected.

10. In a machine for erecting a double Wall on the side of a carton blank having a side wall forming flap folded inwardly with its inner edge secured to the bottom of the blank and scored to form a collapsed parallelogram, a r'e'ciproeable head engageable with the central portion of said blank to advancethe same, an initial folding rail extending in fixed inwardly converging fashion alongside the path of movement of the blank and positioned to engage and partially deflect saidflap from the plane of the center of the blank, an inwardly facing folding element. carried by said head and movable transversely thereof across the partially folded position of said flap, means actuated in response to advancing motion of said head to move said element inwardly in a folding movement against the outer side of said flap, and a pressing surface extending at right angles inwardly from the folding surface of said element an'd positioned to engage the top surface of said fiap when said flap is erected.

11. In a machine for erecting a double wall on the side of a cartonblank having a side wall forming flap folded inwardly with its inner edge secured to the bottom of the blank and scored to form a collapsed parallelogram, a reciprocable head engageable with the central portion of said blank to advance the same, an initial folding projection extending inwardly of thepath of movement of the flap to deflect said flap from the plane of the center of the blank, an inwardly facing folding elenient carried by said head and movable transversely thereof across the partially folded position-of said flap, means actuated in response to advancing motion of said head to move said element inwardly in a folding movement against the outer side of said flap, and a pressing surface extending at right angles inwardly from the folding surface of said element and positioned to engage the top surface of said flap when said flap is erected.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

